Man Charged for Keeping Dog in 150-Degree Vehicle

July 15, 2024, Peoria, IL-Today, Hunter Melsha, 27, was charged with Animal Cruelty after keeping his dog in a vehicle where the inside temperature reached 150 degrees.

On Saturday around 1:30 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 200 block of Pecan Street in the Warehouse District on a report of a dog locked in a vehicle. It appeared the dog had been chewing through the window to get out, and when officers approached, the dog jumped out of the broken window. Peoria County Animal Protection Services (PCAPS) took custody of the dog. Other than minor cuts from the glass, the dog was not injured. Melsha told police that he kept the dog in the vehicle because his apartment did not allow pets and that he checked on the dog every 45 minutes.

This investigation is ongoing. If you have information regarding this incident, please contact the Peoria Police Department at 309-673-4521.

We also want to remind the public that 'hot car' deaths are a reality for pets too. If you see an unattended animal in a vehicle, please call PCAPS at (309) 672-2440.

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